Series Preview: Yankees at Rays

News you can use below the fold

• Freddy Garcia has won his last two starts at Tropicana field scattering 12 hits over 13.2 innings while walking just two and striking out 14.
• The Rays have not been in fourth or fifth this late in the season since the end of the 2007 season.
• The Rays are 30-21 when facing right-handed pitchers this season compared to 11-17 against lefties. This series would have involved both Andy Pettitte and CC Sabathia had both pitchers been healthy.
• Last week, the Rays were just 6 for 46 (.130) with runners in scoring position against the Royals and Tigers.
• The Rays still maintain the best record within the AL East at 18-14.
• Ben Zobrist ended June with the fifth best wOBA in the American League at .430 trailing only Jose Bautista (.470), Robinson Cano (.466), Trevor Plouffe (.458), and Mike Trout (.434).
• The Rays have won their last seven games against the Yankees at Tropicana Field.
• When the Rays commit even one error in a game, they are 20-22. When they play errorless baseball, they are 22-16.
• If the Rays score at least five runs, they are 24-4; that drops to 17-34 when they score 4 or less runs.
• Three Rays went homerless in June: Jose Lobaton, Luke Scott, and Sean Rodriguez.
• The Yankees are seeing 3.9 pitches per plate appearances, which is third best in the American League behind Oakland (3.99), and Boston (3.93).
• The Yankees are now league average hitting with runners in scoring position after a horrendous run about a month ago. They hit .225/.329/.408 in those situations compared to the Rays who hit .242/.340/.366.
• Chad Qualls has joined the Yankees and Cory Wade has been demoted to Triple-A, where he may face Dan Johnson again.
• A series preview from the Yankees point of view by Mike Axisa of RiverAveBlues
• A look back at the Yankees' month of June at Pinstripe Alley's Steven Goldman